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Lessen ‘Childbearing Punishment’ to Reverse Birth Rate

Jan 06-2022   



China’s fertility rate was likely to continue its slide, and a key countermeasure would be to ameliorate the ‘childbearing punishment’ on women, said Prof. Zhao Yaohui of the NSD in the recent National Development Forum.

 

Since 2016, the number of newly-born babies had plunged in the country, touching 12 million in 2019 and perhaps below 10 million in 2021, all despite a spate of population policies being promulgated. Prof. Zhao said that the headwind also included the peaking of the number of women at childbearing age. The seventh national census showed that China’s birth rate had dropped to 1.3%, comparable to Japan’s level in 2020.

 

Prof. Zhao approached childbearing decisions from cost and return analysis and identified some major factors behind the two. The increasing availability of the pension system had resulted in less need of couples to count on their children for support in retirement. Educational and housing costs were high enough for couples to avert giving birth.

 

Most notably, women faced a steep opportunity cost for childbearing, or what’s called ‘childbearing punishment’, said Prof. Zhao. After giving birth, women tended to see a significant drop in salary, or simply couldn’t return to the job market. To solve the problem, nursery services should be expanded, which was of particular importance for low-income families that couldn’t afford a nanny. The development of nursery services needed the support from the government, and private companies should be encouraged to play a role, said Prof. Zhao.

 

Lessen ‘Childbearing Punishment’ to Reverse Birth Rate

Jan 06-2022   



China’s fertility rate was likely to continue its slide, and a key countermeasure would be to ameliorate the ‘childbearing punishment’ on women, said Prof. Zhao Yaohui of the NSD in the recent National Development Forum.

 

Since 2016, the number of newly-born babies had plunged in the country, touching 12 million in 2019 and perhaps below 10 million in 2021, all despite a spate of population policies being promulgated. Prof. Zhao said that the headwind also included the peaking of the number of women at childbearing age. The seventh national census showed that China’s birth rate had dropped to 1.3%, comparable to Japan’s level in 2020.

 

Prof. Zhao approached childbearing decisions from cost and return analysis and identified some major factors behind the two. The increasing availability of the pension system had resulted in less need of couples to count on their children for support in retirement. Educational and housing costs were high enough for couples to avert giving birth.

 

Most notably, women faced a steep opportunity cost for childbearing, or what’s called ‘childbearing punishment’, said Prof. Zhao. After giving birth, women tended to see a significant drop in salary, or simply couldn’t return to the job market. To solve the problem, nursery services should be expanded, which was of particular importance for low-income families that couldn’t afford a nanny. The development of nursery services needed the support from the government, and private companies should be encouraged to play a role, said Prof. Zhao.